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DIY European Mount

IMG_1304[1].jpgI called around and was looking for a European mount cost for my moose and realized that it was anywhere between 500-900$ for a mount. I have heard that a pressure washer works good and I have a rigid 3300 PSI pressure washer and 0-degree nozzle. I couldn't believe how well the pressure washer worked! The only difficult part was the stubborn nose cartilage heating or cooking skulls has a nasty aroma and turns the skull a different color while the pressure washer tool everything off without needing to cook. The next step is to bleach with peroxide for the desired white look which is easy to purchase off amazon for 26$...I already had the pressure washer but for an hour of my time, under a 100$for the plaque and peroxide makes the process pretty affordable.

Yup. If only people knew how easy it can be. Just being able to do your own mounts pays for the pressure washer pretty quick. I agree that there is. Pretty good aroma with steaming the skull before using the pressure washer, but I do this outside and it makes the tissue come off easier. The discoloration is corrected with the peroxide.

Yup, I always boil in dish dawn soap to degrease and get the blood out of the bone or you will have a stinky skull down the road. Do not need to do for long maybe hour or so and not extremely hot but more of a simmer. FYI Looks good and is really amazing that they want so much for a euro mount. Probably cause it is such a mess to do

I'm looking to do a couple goats this winter and I'm definitely interested in any and all good ideas/easy ways to do this. I won't be using the pressure washer, just because I'll be doing these projects in the middle of the winter. So if anybody has some good ideas out there, please post them.

I'm looking to do a couple goats this winter and I'm definitely interested in any and all good ideas/easy ways to do this. I won't be using the pressure washer, just because I'll be doing these projects in the middle of the winter. So if anybody has some good ideas out there, please post them.

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You might want to consider dropping them off to be beetle cleaned and then do the rest of the work yourself......

Sheep hunting...... the pain goes away, but the stupidity remains...!!!

I'm looking to do a couple goats this winter and I'm definitely interested in any and all good ideas/easy ways to do this. I won't be using the pressure washer, just because I'll be doing these projects in the middle of the winter. So if anybody has some good ideas out there, please post them.

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Start macerating them now, they will be ready to clean off in a few months. Albeit a stinky job, its easy. Best yet is soaking in a crab or shrimp pot if you can.
Bk
Bk

I'm working on a deer skull now. I tried soaking it with a crab pot but there wasn't much action after a couple days so I went to the low simmer-boil and it's looking good. I think I will try the beetles next time to see how well they work.

I am starting to get really good at doing my own Europe mount. I boil the skull in Bleach water to help the smell, and to help disinfect it. I also think this helps getting rid of the grease. I make my own pan to fit a moose skull out of sheet metal just because its awkward size/shape. I will then strap the skull down with a ratchet strap and spray it with a 15 degree nozzle. This takes everything off, and a coat hanger bent into a hook will make pulling the brains out very easy, most comes out during the boiling anyway.

The next part is getting the potent peroxide that salons use for bleaching hair. Then leave it on there for 7-10 days, if there is velvet on the horns I will apply denatured alcohol on them daily for those ten days to keep it. After the 10 days I wash it off, and let it sit out to dry. The next trick was given to me by a buddy and I really like it. I use elmore's glue, yup the one you used as a kid. It drys clear, puts a nice gloss on it, and helps hold the teeth in. It looks very nice and white and glossy.

The degrease process takes less time if the brain is mostly removed first... A coat hanger with a loop on one end and a drill attached to the other end scrambles the brains in a hurry and with a little well planned shaking they mostly come right out. What's left in can be rinsed out with a hose. I recommend doing this before cooking. The brain is very greasy.

The degrease process takes less time if the brain is mostly removed first... A coat hanger with a loop on one end and a drill attached to the other end scrambles the brains in a hurry and with a little well planned shaking they mostly come right out. What's left in can be rinsed out with a hose. I recommend doing this before cooking. The brain is very greasy.

Basic White and 40% hydrogen peroxide. Mix together to a peanut butter consistency and apply to the skull with a paint brush and cover with saran wrap for three days. Rinse with water and dry. Repeat if needed for touchup. If you donr degrease the skull will likely yellow some over time.

You can get the basic white a peroxide at Sally Beauty. It'll do a way better job that straight hydrogen peroxide. Just a note the hydrogen peroxide you buy at Walgreens is like 3% or something by volume. Itll whiten some but wont do as good as job as the 40% and Basic White.

I'm looking to do a couple goats this winter and I'm definitely interested in any and all good ideas/easy ways to do this. I won't be using the pressure washer, just because I'll be doing these projects in the middle of the winter. So if anybody has some good ideas out there, please post them.

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Drill two small holes in the bases of the horns at 90 degree angles from each other before you pop them off. Use needles through the holes to line them up when you put them back on. Auto body bondo works good to attach the horns.

I have a friend who does quite a few skulls each year. His favotite process is to skin it out as best you can but without too much effort... Then leave it frozen in the winter in the shed to keep mice and squirrels from chewing on the antlers. The once spring comes around he attaches a stainless cable to it and tosses it in a pond for a couple of weeks. It comes out mostly cleaned, inside and out. He then sprays it with a Hotsy pressure washer and its done. Very little effort. No boiling, no stink. Of course, he has to bleach once its done.

A pro taxi guy recommended a stock tank heater or an aquarium heater to macerate with rather than boiling. It keeps the bones from getting brittle and leaves the fragile nose stuff in place. Or beetles.

I do it this way in Germany with Roedeer and Redstag skulls:
Start as fast as possible to get no stinky trophy.
remove the skin an the eyes
cut the back of the head with a saw and remove the brain
do the skull in a bucket with cold water for one day to rinse the last blood
simmer the skull (put some salt and detergents in the water) for minimum one hour till the boneskin can move easily away
clean the skull with a knife and a scrubber
if the skull is clean enough simmer again in fresh water with detergents
dry the skull if possible in the sun, this would bleaching too
wrapp the skull with tissues or cotton wool and put hydrogen peroxide on it, wait for one night (be careful with the chemicals!)
rinse with water
dry it and mount it on a hardwood plank

Just finished pressure washing mine tonight. I started a week and a half ago, but the pressure washer I was using wasn't quite up to the task of getting the more difficult areas such as the nooks and crannies near the back of the head. I borrowed another pressure washer and gave it another shot tonight after soaking it for more than a week to soften things up. A bit of work, but I'm pleased with the result.